Update on Endangered Animals

For years, the panda has been a symbol of mass habitat destruction. The image of a dirty polar bear adrift on a piece of ice is to global warming as a panda sanctuary is to deforestation. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) even features a panda on its well-known logo. Due to a concerted world-wide effort in the last century to save the iconic animal, the panda is now considered a vulnerable species – one step above endangered. This news has both conservationists and regular people celebrating, but there are still many more animals that need our help. Here is a chart that highlights a few recent population shifts.

Animal

Status

Shift

Reason

Mountain Gorilla

Critically endangered

Endangered

Relocation to unsuitable climates (colder, higher altitudes) due to human encroachment and poaching

Bornean Orangutan

Critically endangered

Endangered

Habitat destruction by means of logging

Plains Zebra

Threatened

Near Threatened

Illegal hunting

Yellow-Backed Duiker

Near Threatened

Least Concern

Illegal hunting and habitat loss

Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey

Endangered

Vulnerable

Habitat and diet restrictions

While we may seem far removed from the habitats of many of these animals, it is many of our collective actions as a species that are hurting them. Remember to stay green, for this little guy!

Featured image: http://artfcity.com/2014/10/13/gif-of-the-day-11-adorable-panda-gifs/